Rider's Bane
by eragon4ever
Summary: When a mysterious man from a far-off land visits Alagaesia, Eragon and Saphira must team up with him to defeat a new threat to the dragon race and all of Alagaesia. Definite E/A in later chapters, and possible S/F. Set 13 years after the fourth book.
1. Evil in the Air

Rider's Bane

**Hi guys, its me, eragon4ever. I don't have much experience with writing fanfiction, so would you please review and maybe give me some criticism or feedback, that is, if you can find the kindness within your heart to do so. (jk) So, I hope you enjoy my first story, Rider's Bane. I will try to update tr1-weekly, maybe even a little more frequently than that if my schoolwork and personal schedule allow. So roll down your socks, grab a plate of bacon, and enjoy. (by the way, the battle isn't very detailed, the reason for that will become apparent later in the story)**

**Chapter 1: Evil in the Air**

"Fall back!" shouted an unfamiliar voice. Eragon searched for the source of the order, but it was impossible to locate any one person within the turmoil of the battle. However much he wanted to stay and fight, he knew that retreat was the best option at this point.

_Saphira! _he shouted mentally.

_ Yes, little one?_ she replied.

_We've been given the order to retreat!_ he informed her as he narrowly dodged an arrow.

_Very well, _she said, and let out a mighty roar,_ but I can see no reason for it._

_ Saphira,_ he chided as he parried a blow, _you know we've lost far too many troops to continue the attack. Besides, we-_

"Shadeslayer! Shadeslayer!"

Eragon pivoted to see the page whom he had been interrupted by running towards him at a breakneck pace, dodging arrows and swords the whole time.

"Shadeslayer!" he repeated as he panted wearily and struggled to regain his composure.

"What news have you for me?" he inquired of the still heavily breathing boy.

"Queen Nasuada requests your presence!" the boy replied.

"Thank you. Please tell Her Majesty that I will arrive shortly, er..."

"Bowen, sir."

"Bowen." Eragon repeated.

"Now go!" he ordered.

"Sir!"

As the boy sprinted back over the mixture of rubble and corpses, Eragon surveyed the battlefield. Bodies of soldiers from both armies were strewn about the city, houses were on fire, and still the enemy kept coming, almost to no end.

_We may have lost the battle for Aroughs, but this war is far from over._

At that moment, he was interrupted for the second time that day by a large _thump! _as Saphira landed next to him. As he climbed onto her back, she asked,

_What ails you, little one?_

_ It's Surda. The moment I laid eyes on it, I could sense something was amiss,_ he said worriedly.

_Aye, _she agreed, _it smells different than it has previous times we've been here. Something evil is afoot._

The orange and red light of dusk set an eerie mood over the entire camp as Eragon and Saphira strolled down the path to Nasuada's pavilion.

"What do you suppose she wants?" Eragon asked out loud.

_I know as much as you do, little one._ she replied.

When they reached the pavilion, Eragon lifted the flap and walked inside, while Saphira just stuck her head in.

"You called us, O queen?" Eragon said, kneeling, his head bowed in respect.

"Yes." said Nasuada distractedly, "You may rise, Eragon."

The Rider did as he was told.

"As you are well aware, the dragon race has been rebuilt, and a new generation of Riders has been trained, thanks to you"-Saphira snorted-"and of course you, Saphira."

They both raised their heads proudly, and Saphira puffed out her chest.

"However," she continued, "a new threat has arisen."

Eragon looked at her quizzically, and he could feel a slight sensation of disbelief through his link with Saphira. Apparently sensing the mixture of curiosity and disbelief emanating from the pair, she said,

" I suppose I will have to explain further."

They nodded their heads simultaneously.

"There have been strange...er...happenings across the land. Soldiers have been reporting, well, there is no other way to describe them, cracks."

"_Cracks?_" they questioned simultaneously.

"Yes." she confirmed, "But that is not all. Men have reported hearing voices from these cracks." she informed them "And only two weeks ago, at the start of the siege, strange and hideous beasts began emerging from the cracks."

_Beasts?_ said Saphira,_ What manner of beasts are they?_

"They are of a nature you have never seen before, Saphira. They have complete control of lightning and fire, and our armor is useless against them. What's more, our weapons have close to no effect on them at all, but we managed to kill _one_, but only at the cost of fifty men."

_What would you have us do, my queen? _asked Saphira.

"I want you to find one of these cracks, find out what caused it, and what it does."

"_As you wish._" the two said in unison.

**There! I did it! Yay for me! I hope you enjoyed it, because my aim is to please the viewers (or readers, as the case may be). Oh, and this chapter isn't nearly as large on the computer screen as it is on paper. On paper, this chapter was almost three pages long. Anyway, see you guys later this week! I'll have another update by then, hopefully.**

_**The lonely god reveals himself.**_


	2. The Man in the Moon

Rider's Bane

**2. The Man in the Moon**  
><strong>Eragon4ever here. This second was a little bit short (the understatement of the century) so you're getting two chapters today. <strong>

As they flew over the Hadarac desert, Eragon began to feel a bit drowsy.

"Saphira?" he said sleepily.

_ Yes, little one?_ she replied.

"I think we should make camp for the day. I am beginning to doze off just a bit."

_ I was about to suggest we do just that._  
><span><strong>Dream:<strong>

_As they circled down to earth, Eragon gazed up at the sky. It was a sight to behold. The stars glittered more brightly against the pitch black canvas of the night sky than he had ever seen them do before, and the moon was full and bright. Suddenly, a shadow flitted across the moon. Eragon immediately straightened up. When he looked back, the moon no longer there, replaced by a face. the face was between thin and broad, and, with medium length brown hair, a medium length nose, large ears, and brown eyes. _Then, with a jolt, he awoke.

_The lonely god reveals himself._


	3. The Mysterious Box

Rider's Bane

**Phew! I thought I would never get this chapter posted. As for my promise of two chapters in a day, I apologise for that. My ADHD was really acting up and I totally forgot that I was supposed to be doing something. On a lighter note, 100 hits! Woohoo! I will now be taking plot ideas and suggestions for new characters. PM me about your ideas, but be warned, they won't take place until the eighth chapter. Now, I probably won't take all of them, but don't be insulted if I don't take yours. I have been trying to look at all of the ideas that _I_ have had so far as objectively as I could. Anyways, I've been rambling on a bit, so without further ado, I present chapter three! **

**3. The Mysterious Box**

_ Do you think this should be treated as a premonition? _Saphira inquired, referring to the vision Eragon had earlier.

"I think it would be wisest not to assume anything yet," he said slowly and deliberately. "However, I do not think we should disregard it entirely."

_Yet again, your wisdom is apparent, O Dragon Rider._

Eragon chuckled to himself at the comment as he strapped Saphira's saddle onto her. He made sure each strap was secure, but not too tight. He then leaped onto Saphira's left shoulder, and in a single bound, jumped into the saddle with the grace of an elf.

_When we get to Darat, keep your guard up. We don't want any unwelcome intruders in our minds, especially considering those beasts might be mindbreakers. _Eragon told Saphira.

_ Of course._ Saphira replied knowingly.

The rest of the journey passed rather uneventfully, and they did not stop unless they needed water or to stretch.

When they reached Darat, Saphira touched down on the outskirts of the town. They then poked along the road until they came to a small inn.

The innkeeper was short, portly, and stout man with a round face. He greeted the two of them with a "Hello, travelers! Would you care to to sleep here t'night?" He was obviously accustomed to strange folk walking through his doors.

"Greetings, my good man. Yes, I do seek a place to sleep, but I was wondering if you could provide me with some information as well."

"What kind of information?" said the man, eyeing Eragon warily. His jolly demeanor was gone, replaced by one of caution, wariness, but overall, the willingness to fight at a moment's notice.

"We need to know if there have been any...cracks around here recently. What would you know of that?" Eragon asked in a low voice. The man's eyes widened and his was an expression of pure terror.

"Y-y-yes," he stammered fearfully, t-t-there is one by the old m-m-mill."

"Thank you sir." said Eragon.

When Eragon was situated in his room, he informed Saphira of what was going to happen the next day.

"We will go to the old mill and inspect this crack, and if anything goes wrong, we will defend ourselves with the appropriate force." he said.

_That sounds like a good plan_, Saphira said.

"Goodnight, Saphira."

_Goodnight, little one._

Eragon was woken an hour before dawn by a sound he didn't recognise. It was a loud, pulsating roar. With elfin speed, he raced down the stairs, not bothering to strap on Brisingr, taking them three at a time, and sprinted out the door towards the source of the noise. What he saw was impossible. There, in the middle of the road, he saw a blue box, about seven feet tall, that appeared only big enough to house one person, materialize out of thin air.

**There it is. I hope I'm not rushing it too much. Also, you can expect some E/A in the later chapters, and maybe some S/F if I'm feeling up to it.**

_The lonely god reveals himself._


	4. Recall

Rider's Bane

**I'm back for anyone who cares! I'm posting the fourth chapter today, and I might even post the fifth and sixth. I'm in a good mood today. I've already gotten them written, so all I have to do is type them. But be warned, I have a major case of writer's block now, so the seventh chapter might not be up for a little longer than usual.**

**4. Recall**

Eragon stumbled back and watched with amazement and disbelief what was happening before him. A blue box just big enough for one person to stand in had just materialized in front of him. Upon closer inspection, he saw that on a thin strip above the door there was a sign that said "POLICE BOX PUBLIC CALL." Eragon wondered at what this meant. There was what looked like a lantern on top that flashed in time with the sound he heard earlier. As Eragon drank all this in, he called mentally to Saphira.

_Saphira!_ he said.

_Hmm? _she replied groggily.

_There's something you need to see. _he told her.

_Can't it wait until morning?_ she whined.

_No. Get up and come over here. _he insisted.

_Alright, alright. _she grumbled, obviously annoyed at his persistence. _This had better be important._

No sooner had she finished saying that, when a man tumbled out of the box, coughing, and smoke billowed out of the box.

_I wonder what's causing all that smoke, _Eragon thought to himself. Until then, he hadn't paid attention to the man that came out of the box.

"Sir, are yo-" he started to ask, but he was cut short when the man lifted his headand Eragon saw his face for the first time.

Eragon recoiled, as if he had been struck in the stomach. His throat constricted and a knot formed in his stomach. Standing before him was the very same man as the face he saw in his dream. Saphira, who felt his fear through their link, said, her voice full of concern, _Eragon!_ She arrived seconds later, to find Eragon staring at a man with an expression she had never seen before: pure terror. In the best sinister tone she could muster, she said,

_Tell me stranger, and speak quickly, for I have little patience, and when that is gone, Imight very well rip you to pieces; Who are you?_

With a cool and even tone the likes of which Saphira had never been spoken to with except by Eragon, the man said,

"I, am the Doctor."

**Whoa! Yeah, I'm gonna be like that. The fifth chapter is coming up soon, probably in 15 minutes, maybe less. Please rate and review!**

_The lonely god reveals himself._


	5. The False Doctor

Rider's Bane

**Yay! Second chapter for the day! You know, little brothers can be really kinda annoying. He comes into my room, and says "Dude, what are you doing?" and I say, "I'm writing fanfiction, man." So he thinks it's a good idea to go up to my computer and just turn it off. I'm thinking, WTF? What was that for? Anyways, whatever. I've got it up now, and that's all that matters. Enjoy!**

**5. The False Doctor**

Once Eragon recovered from his stupor, Saphira introduced him to the Doctor, and when he asked him his real name, the Doctor replied by saying simply, "Just the Doctor."

_He will reveal no more,_ Saphira said, sensing Eragon's frustration.

_I suppose I can respect that_, he said, shifting his gaze from the Doctor to his machine.

"What is that thing?" asked Eragon.

"That _thing_," the strange man said, "is my vehicle. It's called a TARDIS."

"A what?" asked Eragon.

"A TARDIS." he said, enunciating slowly, so as not to be misheard.

_What is a TARDIS? _inquired Saphira.

Not even fazed by her mental question, he said, "It stands for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. I use it to travel wherever I go."

_Forgive me for interrupting, but how can you travel in a thing with no wheels, legs, or wings? _asked Saphira.

"It is complicated", he replied, "But maybe when we have the time, I could tell you. First things first, though, where am I?"

Eragon and Saphira exchanged incredulous glances, and Saphira said only to Eragon, _Don't you find that a bit odd? How could he possibly not know where he is?_

_ I agree, that does strike me as a bit odd,_ he said, _but you forget that he just appeared out of thin air. He could be from a different world entirely,_ Eragon reminded her, oblivious to how close to the truth he actually was.

_ Yes, I suppose that could be._ Saphira admitted reluctantly, not liking being wrong.

"You are in the town of Daret." Eragon informed him.

"Daret, okay, where is that?"

Eragon looked at him, dumbfounded.

"In Alagaësia."

"Oh, of course, Alagaësia, yes... where is that?" asked the Doctor.

"Never mind. I'll have to report to Queen Nasuada about this immediately." Eragon said, exasperated.

The three of them went back behind the inn, where Eragon held his hand over the ground, and chanted,"Adurna reisa." He could feel the slight drain on his strength that he had become so accustomed to over the years as streams of water bubbled up from the ground and splashed into a wooden bowl Eragon carried around just for scrying. After the bowl was filled, he held his gedwëy ignasia over the water, and said "Draumr kopa."

Once he had recounted his story to Nasuada, she dismissed them and Eragon and Saphira went back to bed, and the Doctor to his TARDIS.

**Yayuh! Woo! I'm on FIRE! Second chapter for the day! Yeah baby yeah! Okay, I might have gotten carried away there, but I think I deserve it. I don't think I will be able to get the sixth chapter in today, 'cuz I'm going somewhere at 2:00, and it's 1:22 right now. But it'll be up soon, ****maybe even tomorrow if I can find the time and patience. Until then, I bid you adieu.**

_The lonely god reveals himself._


	6. AN

** Hey people. Just me again. Look, I'm gonna give it to you straight. Lately, I've been up to my eyeballs in work. So I'm not gonna be posting as often. But, once I knock all the work out, I promise I'll get a couple chapters up.**

** I'd also like to remind my readers (I mean read_er_) that any ideas for the story wold be welcome at this point. I'm running a little low on ideas now. I've already had to put more fluff in the currently unpublished chapters than I would like. So PLEASE PM me _any_ ideas (I might accept slightly ridiculous ones, depending on how silly they are) you might have. And please review! I can't improve my story if you don't tell me what you want!**

** And one more thing, I'd like to thank my bud Zed, he's helped me through this book, he read over my chapters before I published them, and even helped me type them. Thanks dude!**

**Alright, that's about it. I will get the sixth chapter up ASAP.**

_The lonely god reveals himself._


	7. Unwelcome Visitors

Rider's Bane

**Yay for Chapter 6! I finally found the time to type this up! But seriously, between writing the chapters and homework, I have little time to do much else. Some nights, I stay up until almost 2 in the morning, brainstorming, editing, revising, and writing. All for the people who read this under-developed story! You guys rock. Keep it up! Also, let me know how my description of the ahem, (don't want to give away too much) _creature_ is. I agonized over that for a while (hours). And don't be afraid to give me criticism. I welcome it at this point. **

**Chapter 6: Unwelcome Visitors**

Eragon slept fitfully that night, tossing and turning as he drifted in and out of his waking dreams. As he slept, he was plagued by visions of the most horrid creatures imaginable.

Dream Sequence Start:

_ Eragon found himself in the Spine. He looked down and realized that he was no longer half-elf. He was back in his old body._

How did I get here?, _he thought. As if on cue, he remembered that he was supposed to be hunting, and that the herd he was tracking was close by. He strode silently along a well-used game trail, watching and listening for anything that might alert him of their presence. Then, a strange noise caught his ear. It was unlike any utterance of any one of the numerous animals he knew of. The sound was high-pitched, electric-sounding at the beginning, and similar to a swarm of insects near the end. He went to investigate._

_ Eragon traveled along an old path, turned wild by years of neglect, that headed in the general direction the noise came from. He walked for what seemed like hours, until he came to what would have been a peaceful glen, if it were not for one disturbing aspect. The tall grass that was abundant in the area had been burnt to a crisp in some places, and where it wasn't, it was dead and wilted. The charred carcasses of a whole herd of deer were strewn about carelessly._

_ Eragon looked around in disgust._

Who could do such a thing? Only Urgals are capable or willing to commit this sort of atrocity. _he thought to himself. He got his answer when he heard a rustling behind him. He whipped his head around, only to behold a monster of such unbelievable appearance, that any average man would have quaked with fear at the sight of it._

_ It resembled a man-sized salt or pepper shaker, with a rod approximately the size of a spear haft protruding from the domed top. Attached to this rod was a single, glowing orb. There were two appendages reminiscent of vöndr that extended form the midsection, and from that point down, the body, if you could call it that, had what appeared to be the dwarves' Erôthknurln embedded in it. It was made of either copper, steel, or some unknown black materiel. _

_ It began to speak in a gravelly voice._

_ "Ex-"_

_ But that was a far as it got. A blinding green light filled up the entire Spine._

Dream Sequence End

Eragon woke with a start, to find himself sweating profusely, and the blankets twisted around him. The so-called "Doctor" was standing over him, shining some sort of green light into his eyes. He noticed Saphira had stuck her head in through the window.

The "Doctor" mumbled to himself "...slight psychic transference..."

"W-what's going on?" stammered Eragon.

_We don't know,_ said Saphira, _you just started thrashing around, so I called the "Doctor."_

"No, no, no. _You_ might not know what's going on, but _I_ happen to know _exactly_ what's happening here. I always know," he said with a hint of arrogance in his voice.

"A little full of ourselves, aren't we?" Eragon said with a bemused tone.

"Not at all. It's the truth. I always know what's happening. I make it a habit to be there whenever something interesting is happening." he replied.

_You remind me of a friend of ours,_ said Saphira.

"Friend? Who?" he inquired, a strange glint in his eye.

"Angela the herbalist."

"Really?" he asked incredulously. "Can you take me to her?"

_The only reason we are here is because we were sent to investigate some strange cracks,_ _but I suppose it couldn't hurt. Nasuada has no need for us now._

"Right then. Let's not sit around waiting for the grass to grow. We should get a move on." the Doctor said eagerly.

"What?" asked Eragon, confused.

"It's just an expression. Never mind, I'll tell you about it later." he replied.

They broke their fast with a small breakfast of fruit an eggs they bought from the local market., and then they prepared for travel. Eragon strapped Saphira's saddle onto her.

"Are you coming, Doctor?" asked Eragon.

"You called me Doctor!" he exclaimed happily.

"Yes, what of it?"

"Oh, nothing, it's just that most people don't start believing that's my name this soon." he explained, "And to answer your question, yes, I am. Allons-y!"

Eragon and Saphira both gave him strange looks.

"Don't ask." he said.

They discussed things of relative unimportance, as there was nothing else to do in the air. The only thing that differed from their normal flights was the Doctor's tendency to speak in riddles. At times he made no sense whatsoever.

When Saphira touched down for their third stop of the day, Eragon and the Doctor got off and stretched their sore legs.

"I must say, I have never traveled on dragonback before, but this is _not_ what I was expecting."

said the Doctor.

_I am sorry to disappoint,_ said Saphira with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Now, now Saphira. No need to get snippy." chided Eragon, "If you'll remember, during my first flight with you, my legs were stripped of most of their skin."

This seemed to unnerve the Doctor slightly, and he fidgeted in place. This only served to amuse the Rider and dragon, and their laughter flushed the Doctor's cheeks, which only amused them more.

"Alright, alright, that's enough." said the Doctor after a few minutes.

"Yes," agreed Eragon as he wiped tears of mirth from his eyes,"Enough."

Once they set up camp, Eragon went foraging, and Saphira left to hunt, leaving the Doctor alone. He passed the time by fiddling with a device with an appearance slightly reminiscent of a sword hilt, except it emitted a sickly green light from the end.

Eventually, Eragon and Saphira returned, and they made a good supper.

"I must applaud you on that meal, Eragon. It's one of the best I've had in a while" praised the Doctor, "Thank you."

"It was my pleasure." replied Eragon, feigning a courteous bow.

_Are you two done already? _Saphira asked exasperatedly, _You've been complimenting each other all evening._

"Well I'm sorry if our friendship is bothering you." said Eragon sarcastically, "Would you like us to become mortal enemies?"

_No, I wouldn't._

"Good. And speaking of friendship, would you excuse me?" said Eragon, but he didn't wait for an answer. He spoke a few words, and a red werelight popped into existence above his head, and he strode off towards a small grove of trees about a league away.

"What do you suppose that was about?" asked the Doctor.

_I couldn't say._ said Saphira.

Eragon walked until he felt he had traveled far enough that wouldn't be heard or watched. He scooped a hole in the dirt about a foot wide and a foot deep. Then he held his marked palm over it and murmured "Adurna reisa." He felt the drain on his strength as water trickled into the hole. When it was full, he again held his marked palm over the reflective surface and said "Draumr kopa." The water lost all of its reflections, and an image of a well lit room appeared. The only visible furniture in the room was a plain sofa.

Suddenly, an elfin face popped into view.

"Eragon!" she gasped.

"Hello, Arya." he replied. He could tell that she was struggling to suppress her happiness and surprise.

"You're back!" she exclaimed, "I heard rumours, but I didn't believe they were true!"

"Yes, they were true." he said, trying hard to keep his own emotions in check.

"I contacted you as soon as I got the chance." he explained, "I wanted to know how you and Fírnen were doing."

"I can't speak for Fírnen, but I am all the better for seeing you." she said, making Eragon blush. He was glad for the color of his werelight.

"As am I," he said, receiving a blush from her in return

Eragon heard a rustling behind him, and he whipped his head around, his muscles tensing. Arya, the worry apparent in her voice, said,

"Eragon, what is it?"

"I don't know," he replied, "Who's there?" he shouted into the darkness. A lone figure emerged from behind a tree, and in a familiar voice, said,

"Alright, alright, you got me."

As the man entered the werelight's glow, Eragon recognized him as the Doctor, and relaxed.

"Arya, this is my new friend, the Doctor."

She responded with a terse nod, obviously put off at him for spying on them. Her usual emotionless mask had replaced her previous expression.

"And doctor, this is my... good friend Arya."

"Hello," he said, slightly timidly.

A slightly awkward silence ensued where none of them said anything.

"Tell me," Arya suddenly started, "Why were you spying on us?"

"Yes, well, about that, you see, I was just following him to make sure he was okay." the Doctor explained, "Saphira even agreed it was a good idea."

"I see," said the elf, "That is understandable, but-"

She got no further. Eragon and the Doctor jerked their heads around to see two score of Urgals charging at them, bellowing fierce war cries. Eragon silently berated himself for leaving Brisingr at the camp. The Doctor pulled his device out of his coat and pointed it at the rapidly approaching horde.

_I'll just have to use magic,_ thought Eragon. _Saphira! h_e called mentally.

_ Eragon! I'm coming!_ she called back worriedly.

"This could get interesting!" shouted the Doctor.

**There we go. This chapter was extraordinarily long. You can start expecting this length of chapter from now on. But it comes with a price. Updates will be less frequent from now on. Sorry! Also, PM or review telling me how well I did the romance thing. I am **_**still**_** accepting plot ideas! Remember to rate and review! (I'm looking at you, justslightlyobssessed and Kizuna114)**

_The lonely god reveals himself._


	8. Author's Note

**Author's Note: The End?**

Greetings, everyone. It's been a while. If I had any say in the matter, it would have been sooner, and under better circumstances. As it is, I'm sorry to say that I'm discontinuing **all** of the stories on this account. Unless someone wants to take up whatever mantle I had, these stories will forever remain incomplete. I have other things to work on now, and I can't make the time to continue writing what I consider, to put it quite frankly, incredibly sub-par fanfictions. I appreciate those of you who enjoyed it, and I'm glad you did. But this account is a dead end. Everyone who's following me or my stories (you know who you are), please, if you have any friends who also like my stories, but didn't follow, tell them about this message. And tell them to tell their friends, and so on and so forth. I don't want anyone to wonder about me, or where I went.

PM me at this account if you wish to continue one of my stories, or perhaps just to speak. Until then, keep reading, writing, and living. And always know this (and I can't believe I'm saying this after so long):

_The lonely god will return._


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